Polaris
by Yuniran
Summary: She often found herself gazing at the sky, and it soon became the most important part of her day. Though she never imagined she'd one day catch a falling star. Constellation AU.


**A/N: This fic is my christmas gift to kiasne! Merry Christmas nerd B) **

**I rushed to finish it in time, so I hope it's okay! Also this is my first time wriiting RinMaki, or Rin in general, so I'm sorry if it isn't the best;;;; **

**Anyway Merry Christmas, I hope you all enjoy! Starting from now, I'm going to actually focus on updating my fics, sorry I put them off for so long! **

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><p>Stars.<p>

They litter the night sky, like the grains of sand on a beach. Millions and billions of them, cluttered together in a single universe. They are the lights that illuminated the void, the hope in the darkness. Some of them group together to create constellations; each one tells a different story. These stars shift in space, flowing like a never-ending river. They turn like twinkling wheels, all fixed around a single point; one star to lead them all.

Polaris, the northern star.

Down on earth, far away from these magnificent beings, a girl with fiery red hair peeked excitedly through her telescope with glimmering lilac eyes. Her lips were pressed in a thin line as she gazed at the other universe above, disappointed to see an empty black canvas, dark grey clouds in its wake. Even the moon, with its waning luminescence wasn't enough to blow the clouds away. Stormy nights had to be the worst; they scared the stars away with their booming thunder and crackling lightning. Rain clouded her vision, creating a blanket of water between her and the the stars that seemed so far away.

As a child, Maki had preferred night to day; the darkness was quite soothing. It softened the sharp edges of the world, it toned down the harsh colors of day. With the coming of twilight, the sky seemed to recede, and the universe expanded. The night was bigger than the day, and in its realm, life seemed to have more possibilities. Even now, stargazing happened to be her favorite pastime, aside music of course. It gave her an escape from reality, opening the gates to melodious new galaxies. Especially when the one she resided in was soon to collapse.

Her world now was a black hole waiting to happen. It wasn't as if she didn't appreciate it; after all, she had everything she could ever ask for. Born into a wealthy family of doctors, there was nothing for her to argue about. If she wanted something, she got it. Though there were things she couldn't have, no matter how much she wanted them. The Nishikino family put on a facade; the happy, perfect family glued together by love. But in reality, Maki knew her parents were the thunder and lightning corrupting her gorgeous star-filled night sky, forced to stay together for image. Their constant arguments echoed throughout the mansion, with voices full of rage. They made it up to Maki with gifts from all over the globe. Her telescope came from America, worth more than a sports car.

At school, she was able to make a friend or two. A majority clung to her with hopes of befriending Maki Nishikino, the beautiful princess. They were fake, even she could tell. These days, everyone was in it for the money. The only friend she kept close was a timid girl by the name of Hanayo Koizumi. They shared an interests in music; although they favored different genres, Maki enjoyed listening to Hanayo blabber on about idols. In a way, it inspired her. Maki was able to openly talk with the soft spoken girl, who listened intently and asked minimal questions. Between the two, a bond of friendship formed quickly.

Though Maki couldn't help but feel a weight deep inside of her, dragging her down.

With a quick sigh, the redhead gently moved the head of the telescope, slowly sliding it to the right, then the left, in search of a certain star. Even in the cloud-covered, desolate sky, one would shine on. Although it wasn't the brightest or the biggest out there, Polaris kept its place as Maki's personal favorite. The northern star, the celestial body which guides the way, even in the darkest of nights. She felt as if it twinkled every night to let her know it would be there for her, no matter what. Even if the storm tried to cover it up with the rest of the stars, Polaris would continue to sparkle.

A childish thought, really.

"I should really get to bed." Maki muttered under her breath, a frown pulling at her lips as she moved away from the telescope. For some odd reason, Polaris wasn't in the sky tonight. Lowering the device, she took one last glance at the stormy sky. Her star was nowhere to be seen. Leaving the curtains open, she slid into bed, letting the fluffy blankets consume her.

Thunder rumbled overhead as a paranoid Maki quivered under the sheets. _It's just a storm._ She told herself, taking deep breaths while trying her best to ignore the growling beast above. As thunder subsided, the pattering of heavy rain filled its place, much less intimidating. All went well until the sky lit up, an ear-splitting crack ripping through her finally calm mindset. Clenching to her blankets with an iron grip, she dragged them over her head in an attempt to shut the storm out.

Then, the beast of the sky ceased its rage. All the sound in Maki's bedroom stilled as a blinding light flooded in. Slightly disoriented, she lowered the sheets, blinking profusely as the blaring light subsided. In the middle of her room stood a mysterious girl she'd never seen before, clad in blue and gold. The way she dressed reminded Maki of an old goddess, one who had come from the stars. Her short orange hair shone with the light of the sun itself, although it appeared to be soft. She wore a dark blue outfit with ornate golden trims, little beads and similar accessories hanging every which way like stars in the night sky. Although it was her cape that caught Maki's eye. Gently floating to the floor, it seemed to carry an entire galaxy within it. The way it shimmered and sparkled reflected the universe itself, fitted snugly into a single girl's cape. Her hat matched the rest of the getup, although on it was a single constellation. Maki recognized it to be Scorpius.

The redhead continued to stare blankly at the stranger, who seemingly flew into her home on a ball of light. As she opened her mouth to interrogate the girl, she opened her eyes. Lost for words, Maki could only gasp as they turned to her. Yellow eyes glanced around the room, eventually landing on her. Bright was an understatement; they gave off a gleam like twinkling stars. The girl smiled upon seeing Maki, her features perking up in delight as she hopped over to the bed. "It's really you!"

"E-Excuse me?" Maki stuttered out, unsure of their suddenly close proximity. Scooting back a bit, her mind raced to recognize the girl who stood in front of her. "Do I know you?"

"Well...not exactly." She replied sheepishly, lightly scratching the back of her neck. "But I know you, Maki! I've wanted to meet you for a long, long time!"

"You...know me?" Maki whispered, quite baffled of the whole affair. "Who are you? Moreover, how did you get into my house? I was sure I closed the windows. Plus, my room is on the second floor..."

"I guess I forgot to introduce myself." The stranger giggled, holding out a hand. "My name is Rin Hoshizora, but you can just call me Rin!" She announced. "And as for getting in here, I have no idea?" Tilting her head to the side in confusion, she shrugged her shoulders. "But it doesn't matter!"

"Yes it does!" Maki stressed, pointing to the window. "Like I said, this is the _second floor_, and the windows were _locked_."

"Rin has no clue about that! Let's see...I was..." With a thoughtful expression on her face, Rin placed a finger on her chin. "I don't remember! I was up there, and then I was down here!" She cried out, planting her face flat on the bed.

A sigh escaped Maki's lips as she glanced at the window, then at Rin. She didn't seem like a burglar, or anyone potentially dangerous for that matter. But still, none of it made sense. "Why are you here?"

"Ah!" Rin shot up from the blanket, the smile returning to her lips. "I'm here to grant you a wish!"

"A wish?"

"Don't tell me you don't know what a wish is!" The girl tutted a finger, preparing to make a whole speech. "Well, a wish is-"

"I know what a wish is, I'm not an idiot." Maki interrupted, resisting the urge to hit Rin as she twirled her crimson hair. "But what do you mean? You can't be serious about this wish thing, right?"

"I'm absolutely serious!" Rin began, stepping away from the bed, her arms spread wide. "It can be anything at all!" Though as she continued, her voice became more firm. "But you only have one wish, so use it wisely. If you want advice from me, you shouldn't use it for someone else." Her tone soon shot back to her normal ecstatic self. "It's Maki's wish, after all!"

"But...things like that aren't real." She replied in a soft voice, more like a whisper. Though it so happened that Rin had the ears of a hawk.

"Only if you believe it's not real! Even if you don't, it's real anyway." Rin proclaimed, very passionate about the subject. "Rin's here after all!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Maki questioned, a bit suspicious of the whole ordeal. It sounded sketchy, not to mention the break in of her home. _Maybe I'm just dreaming?_ She asked herself. Even if it was a dream, it felt awfully vivid.

"You see, I'm from somewhere reeeally far away!" Rin chimed, pointing at the dark, cloud-filled sky. "But I was able to come here tonight."

"What do you mean? You're not from here?" Maki asked, a barrage of questions firing in her mind like a machine gun. Every word that flew out of Rin's mouth made no sense whatsoever; it just tangled her thoughts even more.

"I just said that, keep up Maki!"

"I can't keep up if you don't slow down!"

"Then run faster!" Rin exclaimed, her train of thought soon running off course. "You know, I'm a really fast runner!"

"That's not relevant to this conversation." Maki sighed, giving up on reason. "So this...wish. Do I have to think of it now?" Quite frankly, she was exhausted. Her mind couldn't come up with a wish even if she wanted to. _Plus, this could be a dream._

"Nope! You can take as long as you need." Rin mused, her smile only growing bigger. "I can come back tomorrow, or any night until you decide on your wish. Oh! I can even take you up there!" Just as she pointed at the sky, lightning lit up the world.

"Are you insane?" Maki flinched as lightning crashed down from the heavens, her hands trembling as she hid part of her face under the blanket.

"Are you afraid of storms?" Rin asked curiously, her eyes wide as she observed Maki's frightened figure.

"A-Absolutely not!" The stutter in her voice gave it all away. A light blush of embarrassment covered Maki's cheeks as she shrunk further into the bed. "It's just...a bit shocking sometimes, that's all. It surprised me, I'm not scared."

Rin only giggled in response, bringing up a hand to cover her mouth.

"Hey, it's not funny!"

"I'm sorry Maki, I'll help you get over your fear of storms!" Rin pumped a fist, a determined expression on her features as she practically jumped in excitement.

"Geez, I told you I'm not scared of them!" Folding her arms across her chest, Maki turned her head away.

"Come on Maki, it'll be fun! We can do it tomorrow when I come back." Rin smiled at the redhead, despite her obvious frown. "I have to go now, I'll see you tomorrow night, Maki!"

Maki watched in awe as Rin waved her goodbye, her whole body enveloped in a glimmering white light, the same glow which filled the room upon Rin's entrance. In a flash of blinding light, the mysterious girl was gone. Darkness filled the room once more; the crashing of heavy rain and the roaring of thunder crashed against her eardrums once more as she glanced at the sky, where a single star twinkled in the midst of the storm.

"A wish, huh?"

* * *

><p>"And that's what happened." Maki explained clearly into the cell phone, awaiting her friends response. "At first I thought it was a dream, but it felt so real."<p>

"So...you dreamt about this girl? And she told you she could grant you a wish?" Her friend confirmed, making sure she comprehended all of Maki's story.

"Yes, in a nutshell."

A loud static gasp echoed through the phone, causing Maki to cringe at the metallic noise. "It...i-it must be fate!" Hanayo squeaked, suppressing another gasp.

Maki sighed. "I-I really don't think so. It was just one dream, right?" As much as she loved her friend, Hanayo changed personalities sometimes. Her normally shy and timid self shed off like snakeskin when certain topics were brought up.

"You never know Maki, it could be a sign!" She said, continuing on before her friend had a chance to intervene. "Do you think she'll come back tonight?"

"I don't know. I thought we were on the same page here; that it was just a dream."

"Hmm..." Hanayo pondered her thoughts for a few moments, the line silent before she spoke up once again. "Did you decide on your wish?"

Maki shrugged, although Hanayo couldn't see it. Holding the phone to her ear with one hand, she began to twirl a lock of her hair. It was a bad habit, really. Something she needed to improve on. _Maybe I'll wish for that._ She thought to herself. "No. I don't have a wish." She stated calmly, gazing around her room. She already had everything she wanted. Wealth, beauty, talent. What else could she ask for? _Something like this is wasted on me. Even Hanayo could use it more than I can._

"There's got to be something you want, Maki! How about...The Legend of Legendary Idols, complete DVD box set?"

"That's what you want, Hanayo."

"Right, sorry. You could always wish for something simple, like more rice." Hanayo's voice sounded far off, as if she began to imagine her rice and her precious idol DVD.

"Remember what I told you about rice! Too much of it is unhealthy, geez. Take care of yourself, alright?" Maki scolded, her irritated tone eventually letting up. Hanayo enjoyed rice a bit too much, and it worried the redhead. As a future doctor, she'd been forced to learn about these things. _At least its good for something._

"I'm sorry, I went a little overboard..." Hanayo seemed to shrink, her voice disappearing into the phone.

"Don't apologize, it's okay. Anyway, we're getting off track. I don't know what to wish for now, but maybe it'll come to me later." Maki let herself fall back onto her bed, her head engulfed by fluffy pillows.

"It will! Everyone has a wish, even if they themselves don't know it." Hanayo pointed out. "Even if you can't think of something, at least you'll get to see this star girl again! Maybe you can ask her what to wish for..."

Maki thought for a moment, recalling memories of Rin. Maybe Hanayo was right; Rin must've granted wishes to others, so she could just ask what those people wished for in the past. It sounded like a plan, assuming she'd show up again tonight. "I think I'll do that, thank you Hanayo. You were a great help, I appreciate it."

"O-Of course! I'll see you at school, be careful..."

"Same to you." With that, Maki cut the line. Tossing her cell phone aside, she stared aimlessly at the ceiling. Rain fell to the ground in buckets outside, flooding the streets. Obviously, school had been cancelled for the day. The storm showed no signs of letting up, and the weathermen predicted it to build up into a small hurricane. Maki didn't mind, as her home was well built, able to withstand the strong winds and heavy precipitation from the storm. _Will Rin still come in this storm?_ She asked herself, shaking her head. _Of course she will, it was storming last night too._

The stars, moons, and planets scattered across her ceiling gave off a weak green glow. The sun hadn't been up all day, so they lit up under the storm's dark covers. They were nowhere close to the real things, just stickers falling off her ceiling. Oh, what she'd give to see it all. _Has Rin seen the stars?_ She pondered, lazily lifting an arm towards the fake celestial bodies. It was as if she were chained to her future, which had been laid out before her. Become a model daughter, take over the hospital. Drop anything else that would become a distraction. Yet at the same time, she'd been told to 'pursue your hobbies'. Parents sure could be contradicting at times. Not that it mattered in the long run. Before Maki realized it, her eyelids began to droop. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the stars and faraway worlds, running through the universe alongside a girl clad in blue and gold, her hair the color of the sun.

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><p>Maki awoke to a familiar white light bleeding into the room. As the light faded away, Rin appeared, her face flat on the floor. Groggy violet eyes stared at the girl confused; had she slept all day? Outside, the night was pitch black, the hurricane mercilessly roaring on. But just as the night before, all sound ceased as Rin entered the room. Looking out the window at the storm felt as if she were watching a television on mute.<p>

Hopping up from the floor, Rin wiped her forehead before dashing over to Maki. "Did you have a good sleep?" She chirped, her grin just as wide as the night before.

"Y-Yes, I guess so. Also...are you okay? Your forehead..." Maki began, gesturing at the little bruise on Rin's forehead.

"Oh," Rin's finger began to glow as she gently pressed it to her injured forehead. In mere seconds, the bruise was gone, as if it had never existed in the first place. "I'm fine! I was just excited to see Maki, so I accidentally tripped on the way in!" She explained, disregarding the fact that she'd just healed her wound like nothing. "Capes look cool, but it's super duper easy to trip on them!"

Maki listened with a sigh as Rin continued to ramble on about capes. "How did you do that?"

"How did I do what?"

"The bruise on your forehead."

Rin looked happy to explain it to Maki. "You see, Rin can do that!" Holding up a glowing finger, she smiled. "It's magic, Maki!"

"Magic doesn't exist." Maki had always been a big believer in science, rather than magic and religion. Though despite her views, magic was becoming more and more real right in front of her.

"Boo, Rin will show you then!" With that, she held out her hand. "We're going to go out there!" Glancing at the storm outside, she winked. "Ill help you get rid of your fears!"

"Geez, I told you I wasn't afraid of storms..." Maki whispered, hesitant to take the hand before her. Rin didn't seem like the safest person to be with, though something inside her told her everything would be okay. An adventure awaited her, but she was unsure whether or not to go. A bird who had lost her wings soon became afraid to leave the nest; the world was bigger than she knew.

Suddenly, Rin captured her hand. "Maki took too long! Let's go!" She chimed, playfully sticking out her tongue as she began to glow.

Maki's eyes opened wide as her feet left the ground. She stretched her legs as far as they would go, but they refused to touch the floor. "Rin?!" Gripping the shorter girl's hand tight, she glanced at her for reassurance.

"Don't worry Maki! Just hold on tight!" Rin soothed, shooting Maki a grin as the white light completely engulfed the duo.

Maki shut her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were outside. A frightened gasp left her lips as she looked down. The yard outside her home now sat meters below them, filled to the brim with rainwater. Her feet dangled in the air, though it didn't feel as if she were falling. Her body felt weightless, as if she were floating on water. The rain slipped harmlessly off her tomato-red hair, not a single drop tainting her dry body.

"Come on!" Rin shouted, pulling Maki higher and higher into the sky.

Maki's room became smaller and smaller behind her as the two ascended into the cloud-filled sky. Lightning struck in the distance, and thunder boomed above. "Rin, isn't this dangerous?!" Her voice cracked as fear slipped its way into her wavering heart.

"Of course not!" Rin hummed in reply, taking both of Maki's hands in hers, gently intertwining their fingers. "It's not scary, Maki! You like music right? Think of it as a song!"

"W-What are you talking about? That doesn't make sense!" Maki stuttered out, half confused and half embarrassed, though she made no attempt to take her hands back.

"The storm is making you a stage! Dance with me, Maki!" Rin spun Maki around, a wide grin on her lips.

That smile was one that could light up the world all on its own. From the moment she saw it, Maki knew she'd never forget it. Rin's innocent grin warmed her heart; it made her feel as if everything would be okay, as if everything bothering her no longer mattered. Around them, lightning lit up the sky. Thunder exploded as the two danced in the midst of the storm, a smile on their faces. The sky itself was their stage; the world their audience. A soft giggle escaped Maki's lips, which curved upwards as she and Rin swayed to the storm's beat.

"See?" Rin slowed them to a halt, the world leagues beneath them. "Storms aren't scary after all!"

"I guess you're right..." The redhead admitted, avoiding eye contact with Rin as she glanced anywhere but at the glistening yellow eyes that bore into her.

Floating closer to the other, Rin lifted her hands up triumphantly, muttering an apology as she forgot they were intertwined with Maki's. "So you're not afraid of them anymore?"

Maki felt blood rush to her cheeks as Rin hovered ever so close to her. "No, I suppose not." She mumbled in a voice soft enough to be drowned out by the rain.

"Maki, I can't hear you. Speak louder!"

"I said no, I'm not afraid anymore." She replied in a louder voice, slipping her hands out of Rin's grasp to nervously twirl her hair.

"That's great!" Rin exclaimed, throwing herself onto the redhead. Wrapping her arms around Maki's shoulders, she nuzzled her warm cheek against her. She hadn't noticed, but Maki's cheeks soon turned the color of her hair, a deep scarlet. "Are you ready to keep going? There's a lot more for you to see!"

Maki stood there, a confused look on her features as she questioned the orange-haired girl. "Where else is there to go?"

As if it were the most obvious thing in the world, Rin pointed a finger towards the sky. "Up there, silly!"

Baffled, the older girl said nothing as her brows furrowed. Dancing around in the middle of a hurricane was one thing, but walking into space was another. Quite frankly, Maki had a hard time believing she was awake. Everything seemed to me a dream; from the girl who fell from the stars to where she stood in that moment, suspended hundreds of thousands of feet above the ground. Had this energetic celestial goddess come to take her away? Then again, she wouldn't mind. Something about Rin was endearing, though Maki herself couldn't tell what. Deep down, she never wanted the night to end. "What's up there?"

A heartwarming smile found its way to Rin's lips as she took Maki's hand once more. "Everything you've ever dreamed of."

With that, Maki let herself be pulled upwards, following Rin into the clouds. Walking in the air was surprisingly easy; every step felt as if there were some kind of invisible ground pushing her upwards. She lost sight of the other girl the second they stepped into the storm clouds. Darkness filled her vision, along with the ear-splitting sound of thunder and lightning clashing against one another. It grew colder the higher they went, and her only source of warmth left was the hand which held hers tight.

The noise of the storm soon faded as she slowly opened her curious lilac eyes, which soon grew large at the sight around her. The two girls stood above the clouds; a magnificent bushel of white and grey fluff underneath their feet as the atmosphere around them lay still like the glassy surface of an untouched lake, reflecting the sky's many colors. Above her, a whole other universe swirled and twinkled. Brilliant shades of blue, purple, pink, and even green mixed themselves together on a single canvas, creating galaxies and supernovae. The stars glimmered like precious gems across the sky, not a single place left untouched. It was the most magnificent thing Maki had ever seen; compared to the black night that covered earth, it was like a fairy tale. The moon, whose form was larger than life, illuminated what the sun could not, its radiance a calming white against the black storm clouds below. Maki, lost for words, stared at the view in wonder.

"I thought you'd want to see this, so Rin made sure it looked top notch before she took you up here!" Rin placed a fist on her chest, congratulating herself as her eyes gleamed proudly.

"It...its beautiful." Maki whispered, still unable to make out words as her eyes glued themselves to the alluring picture space painted above. What an idiot she must've looked like, gaping at the sky in her pajamas.

"But wait, there's more!" Rin chimed, her form radiating a bright light, which soon enveloped Maki as well.

As the light faded away, Maki looked down at herself. She now wore a similar outfit to Rin's; a blue blouse with ornate golden patterns, a pure white skirt, and a matching blue hat, in which the constellation Aries glimmered bright. All over her, stars twinkled with joy. Her cape matched Rin's as well; in it, a new galaxy was born. She turned to Rin, a bright smile on her own lips as she fought the urge to hug the girl. _This better not be a dream._ She told herself, basking in the starlight. _If it is, I don't want to wake up._

"Okay Maki, watch this!" Rin shouted, her index finger glowing white as she pointed it up at the stars. The multicolored lights in space slowly shifted around, forming a mewling kitten. "Isn't it cute?" She asked, posing with her hands folded together like cat paws.

Pink spread across Maki's cheeks like wildfire as Rin made cat-like poses, mewling to herself. Though she had to admit, the feline made of stars was amazing. "I can make something better." She huffed, sneaking another glance at Rin as she crossed her arms.

"Can you? I don't think you know this, but Rin is a great artist!" She challenged, gently pushing down all of Maki's fingers except the index. Holding it in both hands, a light began to shine on the redhead's finger. "There you go! Make it good, or else you won't be able to beat me!"

A competitive fire lit inside of Maki as she moved her finger around, the stars soon following suit. Though it was a lot harder than Rin made it look. A single bead of sweat formed on Maki's temple, dripping down as she nervously pulled her finger down. "Th-there, it's done!" She announced, a frown on her lips as she looked up at her atrocious creation. The stars were grouped into a shape which looked vaguely like a circle, though there were spots where they squiggled way off track and found themselves all grouped in one big ball of light.

Rin's cheeks puffed up as she covered her mouth, obviously trying to hold in her laughter. "It looks great!" She sputtered out, little tears forming on the side of her eyes. "Y-You have a real talent for this!"

Maki groaned, turning away from the girl. "You don't even know what it is!"

"Well, it's...it's..." Rin looked up at the circle-esque shape in confusion, giggling softly to herself. "A...rock?" She guessed, speaking softly with the hope that maki wouldn't hear her answer.

"It's a tomato." Maki responded with a sigh.

"That was my second guess!"

"You don't have to lie, I'll admit it isn't the best thing I've ever drawn." The redhead grumbled, jealous of the starry cat which was stationed next to her ugly tomato.

"It's hard to draw with stars in the first place, so I think yours is amazing!" Rin attempted to reconcile with the older girl, who seemed to be frustrated. "Maki, your face looks a little scary..."

"It's nothing."

Anxiously scratching her chin, Rin thought it best to change the topic as soon as possible. "A-Anyway, have you thought of a wish yet?"

To be honest, Maki spent quite a while pondering over possible wishes, though nothing really caught her. A single wish was hard to come by, especially when it would be irreversible. _What if I wish for the wrong thing?_ She'd asked herself this many times. It was something that needed to be handled with the utmost care, and it needed to be well thought through. Using a miracle on a whim was something she knew not to do, as she wasn't dumb. "No, I can't think of anything."

"That makes sense." Rin began, her head in the clouds. "Maki is already perfect! She has a nice voice, she's talented, she's beautiful, what else could she need?" She rambled on thoughtlessly, a smile on her face.

Flustered, Maki hid her face in her hands. "Rin!" She called out, tearing the girl from her thoughts.

Rin seemed to have gotten flustered as well. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." Maki prayed her cheeks would soon lose their pinkish hue as she turned to face Rin. "But...thank you for that."

"Of course! It's true, after all!"

A memory soon flooded into Maki's mind. 'Maybe you can ask her what to wish for...' Hanayo's advice echoed in her head as she opened her mouth to speak. "Rin. What would you wish for?" She asked curiously, fiddling with her cape.

"What would I wish for?" Silence filled the air as Rin said nothing, staring blankly at the sky for a few minutes as she thought. "Hmm...I don't know? Oh, I know! I've always wanted to try ramen! I've seen you eat it a few times, and it looks delicious!"

Rin spoke with a smile, although Maki noticed her eyes were no longer twinkling as they were before. They appeared to hold a loneliness and longing which she didn't understand. "Is that really what you'd wish for?"

"Absolutely!" Rin lied, forcing the grin on her lips. "What's wrong Maki?"

Looking up to the stars, her lips curved into a frown. As beautiful as it was, the universe was an enormous place. With countless galaxies and planets, it truly was limitless. "Isn't it lonely up here?"

For the first time all night, Rin's bright smile faltered. "Only a little." She spoke hesitantly, her voice shaking. "I'm the only one up here. With the entire galaxy around, you'd think there would be someone else up here, but I'm the only one. But at least I get to see you..."

Sympathetically placing her hand on Rin's, Maki spoke in a gentle voice. "What do you mean?"

"I've always watched you Maki, from all the way up here. Every night. When you looked through that telescope, I was able to look back." A sad smile tugged at Rin's lips as she continued. "I tried my best to shine for you every night, even when none of the other stars showed."

Things began to piece together in Maki's mind. Every night, she watched the stars. And every night, there was one that never failed to show. She'd grown to love that star, the one which led the way. There were times which it was overshadowed by the brighter stars, but it was always there. Always watching over her. Polaris, the northern star. Though it no longer held that name, at least not to her. Tonight, Polaris had come down to earth and whisked her away into another world, one full of wonders. Rin was her star. "Thank you." She whispered, leaning towards the orange-haired girl, who seemed to be startled by the act, though she soon relaxed. "I noticed, you know. I knew there was something about that star. You were always there Rin, and I didn't even know it..."

Laughing to herself, Rin's normal grin returned to her face. "You sound weird, Maki. You don't seem the type to say that kind of thing."

"I was trying to reassure you, okay? Don't get the wrong idea." Maki huffed, secretly glad that the twinkle returned to Rin's joyous eyes. "But, I guess...on nights like these, when the air is so clear, you end up saying things you ordinarily wouldn't. Without even noticing what you're doing, you open up your heart and just start talking to the person next to you- you talk as if you have no audience but the glittering stars, far overhead." She stated calmly, her gaze fixed on the magnificent painting above.

"How poetic. As expected of Maki!" Rin chimed in, intertwining their fingers while Maki was distracted. "I'm glad I got to spend this night with you. It was a lot of fun!"

Nodding in agreement, Maki closed her eyes. "I think I've decided on my wish. It can be anything, right?"

"What is it?" Rin asked excitedly, practically beaming with anticipation. "Anything at all!"

Maki took a deep breath, looking Rin straight in the eye. "Then...I-I want you to come back with me!"

"Wh-"

Before Rin had the chance to speak, she continued. "I want you to stay with me down on earth. You can go to our school, and we can eat ramen together. I even have a friend back there that really wants to meet you." Maki's cheeks grew rosy, her voice soon lowering into a whisper. "You won't have to be alone up here anymore."

"Maki." Rin's tone was serious, her voice uncharacteristically firm as she spoke clearly. "Are you sure about this? I told you before, this wish is for you. Isn't there something you want?" Once again, she returned to her jolly old self. "You can wish for an even bigger piano to play even more beautiful songs! Or another telescope! One that can see aaaaall the way into space! You don't have to use it for me, I'm not worth it."

Maki placed her hands on either side of Rin's cheeks, forcing her to look straight at her. _Rin's cheeks are so soft. _She thought to herself, shaking her head. _No, this isn't the time. _"I'm absolutely sure about this, you idiot. You're right, I don't _have_ to use my wish like this. I _want _to. You said I could wish for anything, and this is what I wish for, got it?"

Rin nodded, her cheeks squishing in Maki's hands as she smiled. "Then I guess it's time for me to grant your wish! Let's go back home, Maki!"

As the two descended from the clouds, Maki said her silent goodbyes to the breathtaking, glorious sky. In it's splendor, the sky gave her many things. She often found herself gazing at the stars, and it soon became the most important part of her day. Though she never imagined she'd one day catch a falling star. In a lot of cases, the stars in the sky are already dead, billions of miles away. Although they are gone, their light shines all the way across the universe. Maki grasped that light, chasing it all the way into the sky. Only then she was able to finally catch her glimmering star. The storm below no longer frightened her, because now she knew it was merely a stage, and her performance would be grand. All thanks to the girl who came from the stars, with hair brighter than the sun itself and eyes that reflected the stars.

It turns out the stars weren't so far away after all.


End file.
